Who is the "Antisocial"?
This post is centres around my reflections on the word "Antisocial". The label tends to get thrown around loosely, often utilised as a quick and convenient stop-think label to ostracize those that intentionally or unintentionally challenge societal norms and conventions.
What follows are just some of my thoughts on this matter. I would love to hear some of yours so please feel free to leave them in the comments section. Learning is best engaged in collaboratively, so a discussion would be highly welcomed.
Like many of our treasured concepts, there are many possibilities of definition and levels of description within a single label. What we sometimes rigidly reify as a single entity often is, in reality, Janus-like in its elusiveness and protean nature. Following from this, in my opinion there are three broad domains of 'Antisocial', with an infinite multitude of variations between and within these domains. First, there is the Antisocial Personality proper: those with sociopathic and psychopathic tendencies: anger and impulse control problems associated with a lack of remorse or empathy. In worst case scenarios, they have a distorted, perverse empathy, whereby they take overt delight in the suffering and pain of others, perpetuating a sense of omnipotent triumph and control.
While many such individuals can be found in prisons and otherwise living criminogenic and parasitic lifestyles, the paradox is that many 'white collared' types, gifted with higher intelligence and resources, can charm and manipulate their way into esteemed positions in society.
However, what remains the same is the distress, pain and suffering inflicted on those intimate to them and the disavowal of a genuinely felt sense of responsibility for their actions. Paul Babiak's term "Snakes in Suits" represents an accurate description of the reptilian cold-bloodedness of such individuals.
The second domain may be more accurately described as 'Asocial'. This incorporates those individuals who have a preserved sense of emotional empathy, however lack its cognitive counterpart ( I stole this distinction from Ali G's cousin and prominent neuroscientist Simon Baron-Cohen) and hence have to cope with deficits in social intelligence and social skills.
People on the autistic spectrum, and the so called Cluster A personalities- and in its severest form, those with primary schizophrenic illnesses, make up the spectrum of this domain.
Finally, there are those I would argue, who are fortunate enough to have a preserved empathic capacity, a reasonably high level of intelligence AND an open-ness and sensitivity to new experiences. Psychologists may call this trait 'cognitive disinhibition'. They feel trapped by the sea of sameness dictated by social convention, and often feel a 'calling' (in Joseph Campbell's terms) to a 'higher adventure', which in essence is a spiritual calling to find the self in the world and world-in-self.
They may be quick to anger when forced to comply with constricting conventions and 'obligations', and it is this trait that may earn them the dismissive label of 'antisocial'. When combined with schizotypic traits, such individuals may blossom- if given enough (and usually a lot is needed!) geographical and reflective space- into highly creative and productive individuals.
Referring to the preceding cartoon, these may be the Tims of the world, although every Tim I would argue, still requires a small but nurturing and understanding circle of others to ground them. Perhaps 'selectively social' may be a more accurate descriptor. Humans are ultimately relational, but some require more space than others. And this requirement for solace, soothing and introspection should be respected, especially in this society that constantly pushes drive, idealises extroversion, goal orientation and achievement.
